TAYLOR, Mich. – The Detroit Lions’ Golden Tate and teammates shopped with some children of military veterans in need Monday night.

“The 2015 Golden Tate Shop with a Jock Holiday Event” partnered children who have had a parent die during battle or a child who has a military parent overseas and won’t be home for Christmas, with Lions players on shopping sprees.

About 45 families were selected with the children each picking out $100 worth of gifts as well as food and games at Walmart in Taylor.

The Detroit Lions’ Golden Tate and teammates shopped with some children of military veterans in need Monday night.

The 2015 Golden Tate Shop with a Jock Holiday Event partnered children who have either had a parent die during battle or a child of a parent who is overseas and won’t be home for Christmas with Lions players on shopping sprees.

About 45 families were selected with the children each picking out $100 worth of gifts as well as food and games.

The little ones were giddy, not only because they are moments from toy shopping, but because they will be filling up their carts with some Lions by their side.

Tate brought a few of his teammates along for the event at the Walmart in Taylor.

Amy Windgaston brought her two boys. Her husband was deployed nine weeks ago.

“They love sports, they love football and they thought it was a good opportunity to come out and have a connection with the players,” she said. “I thought, they can’t have that connection with their dad, why not do it with someone who is a role model.”

Military Families United with the help of the Golden Tate Foundation were able to give each child $100 to shop for almost anything they want. The best part they got to do it with a Detroit Lion player by their side.

“Just to see the looks on their faces and see how appreciative they are,” Tate said. “It’s just fun getting to know them, just enjoying ourselves.”

“We wanted to make sure the children got to know how much they are loved,” said Debbie Elsworth of Military Families United. “We’re all about sending the love. Military Families United, we honor the fallen, we support those who are serving and fighting for our country and we serve their families.”

Like Amirah Goode, who lost her dad eight years ago.

“It means a lot,” she said. “I know that the Lions football team, you know there is everyone around the world who cares about you, and you know you always have someone there for you.”

The holidays can be a tough time, but here for just a little while these kids could concentrate on being kids.

Every aisle you could see plenty of smiles and feel the excitement.

“They’ve said thank you for me playing,” Tate said. “But I’m saying thank you for your parents and you existing.”

I started watching Breaking Bad on Netflix. The first two episodes, I was thinking, “This is going to get so boring.” It was like, Cooking meth, whatever. I get it, it’s boring. But then at some point … I just got hooked.

Walter White is a boss, man. A boss. He’s super, super smart. And then his counterpart, Jesse Pinkman, is all naive at first, innocent, just trying to make a few bucks. But their relationship ends up going in all of these unpredictable directions. I won’t lie, it gets intense.

Homeland

Homeland, on the other hand, had me hooked from the very first episode. This American hero being kept hostage for years and years — and then he finally gets out. But the more you get to know him … you start asking some questions.

And those questions were the heart of the show. That “Is he or isn’t he?” tension. Once we got answers, the tension was gone and it really went downhill fast. The first season was the best, by far. The second season’s alright. But now it’s kind of just faded away. I haven’t really been keeping up. Sorry, Homeland. You’re over.

Orange is the New Black

I heard from a couple of people that this was a good show, and I kind of dismissed them. But wow, were they right. Let me get this on the record: I do not like Alex. At all. No. Just … no. She doesn’t deserve Piper. She’s the worst.

Power

I watch Power religiously. It’s that classic story of a criminal trying to go legit. (Spoiler: It doesn’t go smoothly.) Power is also one of the best-directed shows on TV.

Ray Donovan

There’s not much Ray can’t do. He can fix anything. The earth could stop spinning, and Ray could probably find a way to fix it. And I like his style: He doesn’t say much, but you know that when he does say something, he means it. Ray’s got a little hood — a little thug — in him. Don’t mess with Ray.

Scandal

Olivia Pope. What more needs to be said? Kerry Washington was a beautiful woman already. But the attitude she brings to this role? It’s amazing. Olivia is just a strong, smart woman.

Empire

Empire is definitely one of my favorite shows right now. I’d love to see Cookie Lyon and Olivia Pope battle it out. There aren’t many people on this planet I can imagine rattling Olivia, but Cookie — yeah, Cookie’s a problem. They’re both very, very serious. Fox, ABC, here you go: Crossover episode. You can have that one for free.

Shark Week

Shark Week always comes during training camp. So you’ll have a long, exhausting day of camp, and then you’ll put on Shark Week. I love learning about animals. Sharks, and snakes, and tigers, and lions — I love it all. Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, whatever. If it has animals and it’s on TV, I’m in.

Revenge

The Grayson family, they’re all bad, bad people. And Emily Thorne is out for revenge. Around Season 3 or 4, she finds out [REDACTED], and that’s a huge twist. You should just watch it for yourself. Emily’s tough, man. Silent killer.

Modern Family

Modern Family is such a funny show. The characters have so many different dynamics. The dad is corny but hilarious, Manny is a genius, and yeah, sure, I’ll come clean: One of my celebrity crushes is Sofia Vergara.

American Ninja Warrior

My girlfriend and I like to watch American Ninja Warrior,mostly because we think one day we’re going to be on it. For real. We feel like we would dominate that show. We’re both athletic. We love being active. Listen: We’d dominate. Put us on. Call it in. Let’s do it.

Michigan, you don’t want to miss the Stars and Strikes event on December 14th at Lucky Strike in Novi, MI! Come bowl with Golden Tate and his teammates at 7 pm in what will be an amazing night for all attendees!

This Veterans Day Golden Future Foundation had the honor of serving and thanking our local Detroit Veterans at the Volunteers of America luncheon. To our Veterans, you are appreciated, respected, and we are forever grateful for your selfless sacrifices to keep this nation free. Elise Pollard, Golden Tate’s Fiance, came with several other Lady Lions to the event today to volunteer. They brought hundreds of coats from the Tate’s coat drive this past month, and assisted Veterans in picking out a coat that fit. They had a chance to sit and chat with the veterans while they ate lunch, and express their gratitude for their sacrifices.

Lions WR @showtimetate and his fiance @elisepollard donated over 2,000 coats to @goodwilldet for Veterans throughout the city of Detroit! #salutetoService

#GFF got the pleasure of meeting a local veteran, Tammy, who came to help collect all of the coats. Tammy served 2.5 years in the Army and is now a part of GoodWills #operationgoodjobs insuring veterans returning to civilian life have the support they need to succeed.

Huge Thanks to Pierce Elementary for such a successful coat drive and their willingness to give #heartofGOLD

DETROIT – Golden Tate was disappointed with the Detroit Lions fans who were at Ford Field Sunday.

The veteran receiver didn’t appear angry or sound as if he was blasting the fans after a 42-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. But he also didn’t like some of the things he saw and heard as the Lions’ record fell to 0-5.

Fans began booing when quarterback Matthew Stafford threw an interception on the fourth play of the game – Tate was his intended target – and by the time the game finally ended there were only a few thousand at the most still in the stands.

“You know, I’m the first one to say I love our fans and I think our fans are amazing and they’ve been patient for a long time,” Tate said. “But before the game got out of hand, you know before the game started, I looked up, there a lot of empty seats.

“Early on in the game, our team is getting booed. Later in the game, it sounded like the loudest they got was when Stafford was leaving the game and Dan (Orlovsky) was coming in and that’s not the support that we want.

“You know, when we win, we all win together – the city, as an organization, as a state. When we lose, we all lose together. Today, I felt like at times our fan base kind of turned their back on us.”

At that point, a reporter started to interrupt with another question and Tate said he wasn’t finished.

“But we have a lot of confidence in our fan base and we can’t do this without our fan base,” Tate continued. “And we expect them to be with us a little bit better next week. We got a chance to still be special. We got two more at home … and we’re expecting our fan base to be there for us and support us.

“I know we’re not playing the type of football that we want to play right now but we need our fans. We need them.”

Tate was asked if he realized his comments might not go over well with the long-suffering fans, many of whom have seen the Lions win one just one playoff game since 1957, when they won the city’s last NFL championship.

“I consider us family, though, and I think there’s going to be time where family go through trials and tribulations,” Tate said. “There’s going to be times where we don’t agree with each other as far as family but at the end of the day we still gotta find a way to come together is how I see it.

“I don’t see our fan base as just the Lions fans. I consider us family and what I mean by that is it’s more than football to me. It’s being out in the community trying to bring this city together. You know, helping whoever I can who is down. And right now we’re just down.

“But we need the continuous support of our family at the end of the day.”